Presser foot



' April 5. 1927.

C. L. THOMAS PRBSSER FOOT Original Filed June 30. 1924 f Qwwntom ChesterL. Womas' Patented Apr. 5 1927.

UNITED STATES CHESTER L. THOMAS, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

PRESSER roocr.

Application filed June 30, 1924, Serial No. 723,354. Renewed February18, 1927.

This invention relates to improvements in presser feet for sewingmachines.

In the manufacture of comforters or other cover or garment that iswadded, it is customary to stitch the various parts together, anoperation that is usually designated as quilting. In quilting a bedcover, for instance, much neater and better results are obtained if thestitching is made in curved instead of straight lines, especially if thelines are curved so as to produce some pleasing design. A sewingmachine, as ordinarily constructed, is not very well adapted to sew along, crooked seam such as is required in quilting, although it can beemployed for this purpose if the material is properly guided. Where anordinary sewing machine is employed for quilting, it is customary forthe operator to guide the material so as to produce the desired curvesin the seam. This is a difficult job and even when done by experiencedoperators, no two rows of stitching will be the same. It is evident thatif the movements of the material could be controlled by a guide, itwould be possible to make all of the rows of stitching alike and toproduce regular patterns that would be designed both with regard toornamental effect and to effectiveness. It is, however, evident that aguide cannot be employed with a machine having the ordinary presserfoot, as this is wholly unsuited for use with a guide. I have found thatby replacing the'ordinary presser foot with one designed especially withregard to the requirements of the service with a guide, I can greatlyfacilitate the operation of quilting and obtain better results.

My improved presser foot differs from the ordinary presser foot mainlyin this, the body portion thereof is made in the form of a shortvertical cylinder whose outer surface is adapted to slide along the edgeofa guide.

My invention can be best described and will be most readily understoodwhen reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which the preferredform thereof is illustrated, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of parts of a sewing machine and parts ofthe guide and quilting frame;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the presser foot.

In Fig. 1, numeral 1 designates a portion of the head of a sewingmachine in which is mountedthe presser bar 2 and the reciprocable needlebar 3. My improved presser foot 4 is secured to the presser bar 2 in theusual manner. The comforter to be quilted is supported on rollers 5, 6and 7 which are mounted in a frame 8. The specific construction of theframe will not be described for the reason that it is old and well knownand is merely shown for the purpose of more clearly illustrating themanner in which my improved presser foot functions in conjunction withthe guide.

33, Fig.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a guide 9 resting on the comforter. This guidehas one edge out into curves of the shape desired for the stitching.This guide may be made of wood about one-quarter of an inch in thicknessor of any other suitable material and extends the entire length of thematerial to be stitched. The presser foot has a shank 10 which isadapted to be secured to the presser bar in the usual manner. The bodymember of the foot consists of a cylindrical portion which is" providedwith an axial opening through which the needle 12 may reciprocate. Thedistance from the bottom of the presser foot to the lower end of theshank 10 is somewhat greater than the thickness of the guide so that thelatter will not interfere- With the feeding operation.

Let us now consider a case in which the machine is equipped with myimproved presser foot and operated in conjunction with a guide9. It isevident that on account of the shape of the part 11 of the presser foot,it can slide along the edge of the guide regardless how crooked this maybe. It is therefore possibe to follow any guide and to make the rows ofstitching any desired shape.

As far as I am aware, I am the first to employ a guide member inquilting as well as the first to invent apresser foot that can beemployed in connection with a guide.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new is:

In a sewing machine adapted for use in quilting, a guide adapted to belaid on any 5 material that is to be sewed, a presser foot adapted to beused in connection with said machine and guide, said presser foot havinga body portion whose outer surface is cylindrical from the bottomupwardly for a distance greater than the thickness of the guide wherebyevery part of the outer surface thereof is adapted to contact with theguide.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHESTER L. THOMAS.

